Sussex Police will continue to allow its radio masts to be used by mobile phone firms after safety fears were branded "hysteria".

The force transmits from 14 radio masts on force property, including ten masts on the South Downs.

With the boom in the mobile phone industry, the masts have been leased out to operators, bringing in about £250,000 a year.

Companies have also put up their own masts at Brighton police station in John Street and are applying for similar installations at Eastbourne and Lewes stations, which would add an extra £130,000 to the annual income.

Police will also have the final say on whether to allow Orange to share their antenna in West Hoathly.

The company has appealed to the Home Secretary after planning permission was turned down following a huge campaign from parents who were concerned about the mast's effect on a primary school.

Chief Constable Ken Jones conceded the issue was sensitive but assured members of Sussex Police Authority he was confident there was no scientific evidence linking radiation from the masts to health risks.

He was supported at the meeting by authority member Peter Jones, who said: "The scientific evidence coming forward is that there is no risk to health and if that is the case, it is entering into hysteria not to support these recommendations."

Crawley magistrate Dr Ian Scotland said: "Everything in life has a risk associated with it.

"The more masts you have across the county the lower the power needed to reach mobile phones.

"We shouldn't be saying we want fewer but that we want a damn sight more of them."

Chris Garrett said: "There's no such thing as a riskless environment.

"If we're going to look for proof that everything we use is 100 per cent safe, we will have to review the use of police cars for a start."

Other members of Sussex Police Authority were more cautious.

Colin Marsh said: "As a governor at two infant schools I am concerned.

"I do not believe the case has been proven.

There has been an awful lot of research into this issue which I'm prepared to lean on.

"If I wasn't personally content with the safety, I would not be prepared to go ahead with this."

The police authority voted for allowing the sharing to continue while monitoring the latest research findings.